Actress Nadine Lustre and her boyfriend, businessman Christophe Bariou, condemned the act of displaying the taxidermied specimen of Mali the elephant at Manila Zoo after her death last year.
The award-winning actress, who is also an animal rights advocate, reposted an Instagram Story of Christophe who shared a screengrab of a comments section on news about the elephant being put on display.
“Even after her death, you choose not to show the minimal decency that Mali deserves, despite her lifetime of suffering. Shame on you,” Christophe wrote.
This was reshared by Nadine on her account.
She also commented on a news item about Mali and reportedly wrote in her own Instagram Story: “Mali’s legacy deserves respect, not display. Let her rest in peace!!!”
Reports said Mali’s remains underwent taxidermy for preservation around 11 months before being displayed at the zoo. She was picked up on December 16.
Taxidermy is the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals. The process is done on dead animals to give them lifelike forms for display purposes.
Veterinarian and taxidermist Jason Sumaway, whose team was tasked to preserve Mali, said that the elephant was the “most challenging” remains they had to work on since they were already decaying.
“Hindi namin siya pwedeng tigilan, katulad ng ginagawa namin sa mga dog and cats. Nakikita po kasi namin [na] nagde-decay na siya. Kailangan continuous ‘yung process. Dun na ako nag-decide na sige, hatiin natin ‘yung team,” he said to GMA’s “24 Oras.”
In December 2023, it was reported that Mali’s remains would be preserved for public viewing at the Manila Zoo where she has been the main attraction for decades.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna and Manila Second District Councilor Numero Lim had filed resolutions honoring the zoo’s resident elephant.
Meanwhile, the display of Mali’s remains similarly disappointed other Filipinos who thought that she was still “being exploited” in death.
“In life, she was alone, away from any of her kind, and now in death, her body is still being exploited. I feel ashamed and sad for the poor elephant. Give the poor elephant some rest,” a Facebook user wrote.
“Decent burial is the proper way for Mali. So much suffering, and this is not good, even after the passing,” another Pinoy wrote.
“Hindi na pinatahimik, hanggang ngayon, nakakulong [pa din] kahit patay na,” a different user commented.
“This is such a painful sight, ginawang attraction at pinagkakakitaan. Pls. ‘wag niyo tangkilikin ang Manila Zoo, disrespectful, no heart for animals,” another Pinoy wrote.
Mali’s story
Mali was an elephant sent to former First Lady Imelda Marcos from Sri Lanka in 1977 as a “very precious symbol of friendship between the two countries.”
The mammal at that time was a three-year-old who was found orphaned in the wild.
Her late husband, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., then “entrusted” the elephant to the Manila city government, which placed it in Southeast Asia’s oldest menagerie where she became the zoo resident elephant.
Mali stayed at the Manila Zoo for nearly all of her life, at some points exhibiting signs of depression and psychological stress, as well as a foot disease.
Experts said elephants are social animals, with females typically living in herds of eight or more.
Animal rights advocates have dubbed Mali the world’s “saddest” elephant.
She stayed at the Manila Zoo despite several calls for her transfer to a wildlife sanctuary in Thailand.
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Mali died at nearly 50 years old in November 2023 of congestive heart failure.
A necropsy revealed that she also suffered from cancer and had multiple affected organs that restricted blood circulation.
